UnionOps

Union Boards Guide

Workplace bulletin boards reach members who are not on social media - start with a bare-minimum layout, then fill the rest with notices and solidarity posters

Bare-minimum board

Every local board should answer four questions at a glance: How do I find you online? Who do I call for health and safety? Who is on the Local Executive Committee? What is happening next? Everything else is optional filler.

  1. Local header

    Local number, short name or division line, and logo from your Brand Kit. Print a Board Banner strip for the top of the cork so the board reads as yours from across the room — even when the rest is parent-union posters.

  2. Socials and digital link

    QR code or short URL to this hub, your local website, or Facebook group. One clear CTA - “Get support” or “Follow us” - beats a wall of icons.

  3. Health and safety

    JHSC / health & safety contacts, how to report a hazard, and where to find the latest safety bulletin. Keep phone numbers large and current.

  4. LEC and steward list

    Local Executive Committee roles with names and work contacts (or steward office hours). Update after elections - outdated lists erode trust.

  5. Events or rotating spot

    Membership meetings, bargaining updates, workshops, or a solidarity poster. This is the only zone that should change weekly.

Print the always-on pieces once on sturdy stock; refresh only the events / rotating zone. Use solidarity posters to fill empty space so the board never looks abandoned.

What to print

Think in layers: permanent identity, standing resources, and a rotating slot.

  • Always on the board: Header/logo, socials QR or URL, health & safety contacts, LEC / steward list.
  • Rotate often: Meeting notices, bargaining updates, event flyers, and high-energy solidarity posters for empty space.
  • Optional extras: Member spotlight (with consent), contract highlight one-pagers, how-to-file-a-grievance tear-offs.
  • Sizes that work: Letter (8.5×11) for dense contact lists; tabloid (11×17) for notices and posters readable from across the room.

Feed the board - posters and templates

When a board looks empty, start with official Ontario posters and a short contact list. Locals do not need to invent content from scratch - print the ministry pieces, then layer local notices and solidarity posters.

Official Ontario posters and statutes

PDFs below are for printing. Prefer the official ministry page when checking for newer versions.

  • Employment Standards in Ontario poster

    ESA rights overview - hours, leaves, vacation, termination. Strong default for the health & safety / rights zone.

    Download PDFMinistry source

  • ESA poster (alternate ministry file)

    Additional ESA poster file for boards that already use an older print run - verify against the current ministry version.

    Download PDFMinistry source

  • In case of injury at work (Form 82)

    WSIB-style injury reporting poster commonly required beside first-aid information.

    Download PDFMinistry source

  • Occupational Health and Safety Act (e-Laws)

    Live statute - link via QR instead of pinning an outdated paper copy of the full Act.

    Open official pageMinistry source

  • Guide to the OHSA

    Plain-language worker rights: know, participate, refuse unsafe work.

    Open official page

  • Posters required in the workplace

    Ontario hub listing what employers must distribute or post - use this when you are unsure what belongs on the board.

    Open official page

Sample local templates (anonymized)

Trimmed demos with fake names and campuses - replace with your real LEC, JHSC, and board locations.

  • Board print checklist

    Bare-minimum print list plus QR targets for ESA, OHSA, human rights, and local documents.

    Download sample

  • Board location tracker (CSV)

    Sample multi-campus tracker with fake monitors - track which boards are verified and who checks them.

    Download sample

  • JHSC member list (CSV)

    Short anonymized health & safety committee roster for the H&S zone.

    Download sample

  • OHSA phone / QR access tip

    One-page tip for members scanning a QR to the live Act from their phone.

    Download sample

Reference layouts from real locals

Patterns adapted from workplace boards locals actually run - generic zones, no branded campaign art. Pick one that fits your board shape and stick to it so members learn where to look.

Real boards (photo references)

Photos from active campus boards - use them to see how LEC lists, JHSC, ministry posters, and QR codes sit together in the wild.

Photograph of a sectioned union info board with labeled columns for postings, LEC, health and safety, and rights posters

Sectioned campus info board

Labeled columns: Postings, updates/LEC list, JHSC roster, ESA + Health & Safety posters, Form 82, bullying/harassment poster, and a large QR. The tidy “bare minimum plus rights” pattern.

Photograph of a branded union bulletin board with safety posters, LEC list, QR code, and member notes

Branded corridor board

Parent-union banners across the top, Form 82 and bullying/harassment at eye level, LEC list, Health & Safety poster, QR link, plus a small member notes corner - denser but still scannable.

Photograph of a densely posted union bulletin board with campaign posters, QR codes, and contact cards

Campaign-dense board

High-energy campaign anchors with QR resource sheet and contact cards - use when you need solidarity filler around the standing zones.

Schematic patterns to copy

Four-zone classic

Header across the top, socials and health & safety side by side, full-width LEC strip, events along the bottom. The most common break-room layout.

Best for: standard cork boards in lunch rooms

Priority strip + big events

Narrow left column keeps socials, H&S, and LEC always visible; the large right panel is reserved for the current campaign, meeting, or solidarity poster.

Best for: wide boards near time clocks

Corridor tall stack

Single-column stack for narrow hallway boards: header, socials, H&S, LEC, events, then solidarity filler at the bottom so the board never ends in blank cork.

Best for: narrow corridor or door-side boards

Labeled columns (info board)

Printed section headers across the top - Postings | Updates / LEC | Health & safety + QR | Rights posters. Matches a well-kept campus info board with ministry ESA, Form 82, and bullying/harassment posters on the right.

Best for: wide boards you can keep tidy with paper labels

Steward desk board

Large LEC / steward contact block beside compact socials and H&S cards; bottom strip for the next meeting or action. Common in steward offices where members stop to ask questions.

Best for: steward office or union room boards

Board practice

Where to post

Use union-designated bulletin boards in break rooms, steward offices, and other agreed locations. Never post on management-controlled boards without permission. Check your collective agreement for posting rights.

How long to leave notices up

Remove outdated notices promptly - a cluttered board loses impact. Meeting notices: post 1–2 weeks ahead, remove after the event. Bargaining updates: refresh weekly during active rounds. Strike notices: update daily during action. Keep the bare-minimum zones current even when the events slot is empty.

What not to post

Never post confidential bargaining positions, member home addresses, or internal strategy. Do not name individuals in grievances. If in doubt, ask your local president before printing.

Pair with social media

Use the same headline on your board notice and social graphic so members recognize the message. Post the board notice first for workplace visibility, then share on social with a photo of the posted notice (with consent from anyone visible).

Sources & references

External resources cited in this guide. Always defer to your local executive and union servicing rep for official direction.